CLEVELAND — Richard Singleton, Will Levy, Jamion Berry, and Jermaine Brooks are more than just friends, they’re business partners.
"We were all talking doing our own business ventures in real estate and developing and making a few dollars but when we came together, we’re making a bigger impact together,” said Jermaine Brooks.
If all goes well, the impact of their company WRJ Developers will be massive.
They plan on completely transforming a few dilapidated homes and an open field on East 72nd Street north of St. Clair Avenue on Cleveland’s east side into something special.
"This is something edgy and different,” said Will Levy.
All 64 apartments will be made out of shipping containers.
"Everything they’re doing on the west side, we want to try to do it on the east side, but we want to try to make it affordable and not push people out of the community,” said Richard Singleton.
This community is their community, it’s where they met and grew up and they want to take care of it.
"We had to give back to the culture, and kind of bring in something nice to this area that’s being of gotten about and trying not to push our people out,” Richard Singleton.
They’ve gotten pretty far along on the project, they’ve hired a container company and most of their designs have been approved.
Now the friends turned business partners are working to fund the project while bringing their own skills to the table.
"Jermaine brings his real estate hat and agent hat, Will and I have an engineer background and so we bring that, we all have construction experience, so we just have a nice mix. Rich is the financial guy, it’s a nice blend of skill sets that works well,” said Jamion Berry.
They’re hoping this project resonates with the place and people they love so much.
"We’re bringing a nice product to the city that the city can be proud of and trying to build a legacy here especially on the east side of town,” said Singleton.
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